CHAPTER 119: CHAPTER 119: ONCE DIVORCED, WE ARE STRANGERS

Claire’s eyes suddenly widened.

Her heart was already in her throat, but she couldn’t panic.

"Caleb, what do you mean?"

Tears of grievance welled up instantly, and Claire cried like a pear blossom in the rain.

"Are you saying that behind your back, I bought off Ian, and even had Ian use Serena’s friends to threaten Serena to hand over her shares?"

Claire hoarsely questioned Caleb, while Caleb remained silent—

Which was tantamount to confirmation.

Claire’s hands clenched tightly, her sharp nails digging into the flesh of her palm.

Caleb is suspecting her...

Caleb is actually suspecting her?!

If it were the Caleb from high school, hearing others defame her like this behind her back, forget about questioning her, he would have made the gossip disappear from the school.

Caleb loved her that much.

Because she was his first love.

The true love he swore to protect for a lifetime.

Claire never doubted Caleb’s feelings for her, at least before graduating high school, she never doubted it.

That’s why she was confident enough to leave Caleb and go abroad.

She believed Caleb would miss her and give up everything to fly abroad and find her.

However...

Large tears rolled from Claire’s eyes, falling like beads off a broken string.

Who changed Caleb?

Was it Serena?

Claire didn’t believe it.

But at this moment, Caleb is here questioning her because of something Serena said.

"Caleb, am I that kind of person in your eyes? Am I such a sinister, deceitful, selfish, and despicable woman who plays tricks?"

Claire’s tears wouldn’t stop, her voice shaking.

"What is the relationship between us? When we were teenagers, we went through that dark period in juvenile detention together, you protected me, I protected you, from the budding of our youth to facing life and death together... Even when fate separated us, we met again because of the piano... Although we broke up later, I still came back, back to your side... Caleb, I have never changed, and you swore that you would never change... But now? Have you really not changed? You rather believe in the provocations of an outsider than trust in the understanding you have of me over the years, my character... You make me feel so heartbroken like this."

Claire spoke passionately, then covered her face and sobbed uncontrollably.

She was truly crying from the heart, in extreme sorrow.

It wasn’t an act.

Caleb couldn’t help thinking about Claire’s words.

Claire said Serena is an outsider.

But Serena is his wife; actually an insider.

Yet Serena is going to divorce him, so she can also be considered an outsider.

Caleb let out a heavy sigh.

"I’m sorry, Claire, it’s my fault."

In knowing Claire for so many years, this was the first time Caleb saw Claire cry so sadly.

In knowing Caleb for so many years, this was the first time Claire saw Caleb apologize so sincerely.

Claire wiped her tears with the back of her hand, sniffled, and said, "Mm, it’s good you trust me."

"Of course, I trust you."

Caleb pulled out a tissue to wipe Claire’s tears, and Claire finally broke into a smile.

"Wait for me after work tonight, you can order anything you want to eat."

"Is this compensation?" Claire playfully said, "Isn’t this too easy for you?"

Caleb laughed, "After dinner, whatever you want, I’ll buy it for you."

"That’s more like it." Claire’s tear-stained face finally returned to her usual sweet smile.

She didn’t stay in Caleb’s office for too long, tidied up her things, and turned to leave.

Behind her came Caleb’s gentle voice:

"Good luck at the jewelry fashion week."

"Mm." Claire smiled back at him as she left Caleb’s office.

The gentle lines on Caleb’s face gradually turned cold.

He picked up the phone from the desk and opened the call records.

The first entry was a call from Serena.

But he didn’t remember having talked with Serena.

He dialed back, and soon Serena’s voice came through the receiver.

"Caleb?"

"It’s me. Did you call for something earlier?"

Serena was surprised on the other end.

Could Claire have told Caleb about her call?

Serena was skeptical.

"I’m at Serene Meadows Nursing Home right now, my mom... she said she wants to see you, can you come over?"

Serena felt a bit nervous.

She wasn’t sure if Caleb would agree to her request.

After all, they were getting divorced, and for her to still ask Caleb to visit her mother was quite odd.

But Audrey really wanted to see Caleb, constantly reminding her.

"I understand."

Before hanging up, Serena heard this last sentence; she wasn’t sure if Caleb would come or not.

An hour later, Caleb appeared at Serene Meadows Nursing Home.

Once Caleb arrived, Audrey visibly cheered up, talked more, had brighter eyes, and seemed much clearer.

Serena was gratified by Audrey’s significant change.

But this change was brought about by Caleb, which made her feel anxious.

They stayed at the nursing home with Audrey for quite a while, until after the evening rush hour, they left.

As the sun set and the traffic buzzed.

Outside the gate of Serene Meadows Nursing Home.

Faced with Caleb, Serena hesitated and struggled to speak.

"You can talk about divorce so smoothly, is there anything you can’t say to me?"

Caleb took the initiative to ask.

Serena raised her head, reflected in her eyes was Caleb’s handsome yet indifferent face.

"I... would like to ask you for a favor..."

"What favor?"

"After we divorce, can you occasionally come with me to see my mom, pretend a little to make her happy..."

This request, Serena found difficult to express.

Her initial intent after divorce was not to have further entanglements with Caleb.

But Audrey now seems to need Caleb’s presence.

Caleb was silent for a long time.

The atmosphere between them was as quiet as if time had frozen.

"After divorce, there will be no ties between you and me, why should I waste time playing along with you?"

A smile appeared on Caleb’s face, but his words weren’t pleasant.

This didn’t entirely surprise Serena, she sighed deeply.

"You’re right, I didn’t position myself correctly..."

Since the conversation had reached this point, Serena wanted to talk about the divorce agreement.

Having been burned by Ian’s incident, she believed Caleb wouldn’t offer her any shares in the Lockwood Group, in other words, she wouldn’t have financial ties with Caleb after the divorce.

Serena believed Caleb should have prepared the new divorce agreement by now.

"By the way, Caleb, if you have the divorce agreement on hand, you can give it to me now."